Into the hat for the last four draw will go the name of AFC Oakley M&DH after they netted a 5-4 penalty shoot-out home win over AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College after 90 minutes play had seen the sides deadlocked at 3-3. Alex Liburd, Matt Barnes and Jack Goodacre on their scoresheet against Town replies via Joe Hubbard, Humberto Mbunazo and a Josh Sturniolo penalty.

Alas it was the end of the road for Renhold United who were beaten 5-0 at South Midlands League Bedford FC.

Premier Division supported by Sportsform

The days top honour belongs to Eastcotts AFC who after suffering four consecutive league defeats returned to winning ways to send league leaders Shefford Town & Campton to their first defeat of the season thanks to a strike from Tom Stonehouse on the half-hour mark to give them a 1-0 home win.

With the next three clubs in the league table either on cup duty or sitting the afternoon out fifth place Flitwick Town took full advantage to close the gap at the head of the table on them all by taking their unbeaten ways up to six games with a 3-2 home win over bottom of the table Ickwell & Old Warden. Mark Skidmore, Glen Collins and Pete Kouwenberg netting the vital goals against replies via Zak Rowe and Michael Rushton.

The biggest win of the day came from sixth place Wootton Blue Cross who took their unbeaten ways up to five games with a 6-1 home win over Wilstead. Carl Ibbotson and Phil Matthews netting twice alongside single strikes from Nathan Mallet and Ryan Mellor with the lone reply being netted by Kevin Butler.

Meantime still looking for their first home wins of the season are both AFC Turvey and Sandy. The Bedford Road boys being held to a 0-0 draw by Pavenham and AFC Turvey losing out 2-3 to a Caldecote side enjoying their first away victory of the season. Conor Smith, Tom Wallace and a penalty from Jordan Goodman only being replied to by Adey Adedeji and Laurence Allen for the home side.

Elsewhere, Sharnbrook returned to winning ways with a 4-1 home win over second from bottom of the table Lidlington United Sports. Jim Burnside with a hat-trick plus a goal from Shaun Barnett only being replied to once by Jacob Ottley.

Division One supported by Wests Citroen Bedford

Henlow's lead at the head of the Division One supported by Wests Citroen Bedford league table is now down to just a single point after their seasons unbeaten away ways were ended with a 3-2 defeat at Bedford SA. Paul Nigro, Daniel Bond and Joe Bridge on the home scoresheet against replies from a Phil Robinson penalty and James Campbell. Whilst second place Elstow Abbey took full advantage of their slip up with a 5-0 home win over Sundon Park Rangers. Tom Pitts striking twice in the 15th and 25th minutes of the game to place them 2-0 ahead before Callum Davenport equalled his action by first netting just 60 seconds later and then in the 33rd minute from the penalty spot to make it 4-0 by half-time before the nap hand goal arrived 17 minutes into the second period from Dom Parrella.

With third place Cranfield United sitting the afternoon out Great Barford are now just just goal difference behind them in the standings after netting win number eight on the bounce with a 6-1 home win over AFC Oakley M&DH Reserves. David Mulvhill with a brace being supported by single strikes from Michael Pickard, Nick Payne, Gary Canzano and Reuben Hukin against a lone reply from Louis Green.

For fifth place Meltis Albion it was home win number three on the bounce with a 3-0 victory over Shefford Town & Campton Reserves. Goals from Alex Smith, Callum Stuart plus a Dan Taylor penalty doing the damage.

Still looking for their first home win of the season are Marabese Ceramics and still looking for their first away win of the season are Queens Park Crescents after the sides shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw. Lewis Littlechild netting twice for the Tilermen and Hassan Yousaf twice for the Crescents.

Whilst for AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College Reserves it was the gift of three points after second from bottom of the table AFC Harlington failed to raise a side to meet them at New Grounds.

Division Two

There is no change at the head of the division two league table following wins for the top five sides. For league leaders Westoning it was win number seven on the bounce to maintain their season unbeaten away ways with a 3-1 win at Kempston Hammers. Shaun Cooksley, Glen Cooksley and Michael Armitt netting the vital goals against a lone Hammers reply from Nick Tysoe.

In second spot are Clapham Sports and for them it was win number six on the bounce with a 10-1 home victory over Kempston Athletic. Sam Maddix netting four times, Pete Bryant and Joni Umney twice to go with single goals from Luke Stone and Leigh Umney against a lone reply from Daniel Dobrzanski.

Meantime third place FC Houghton were chalking up their 10th consecutive win with an 8-4 victory at bottom of the table Wilstead Reserves. Mark Doran netting four times, Lawrence Taylor twice to go with single goals from Ali Mohiyaldeen and Nathan Prime against home replies via Chris Duffy twice plus Sam Ward and Matt Johnson.

Elsewhere for fourth place Stevington it was a retention of their seasons home unbeaten ways and win number eight on the bounce with a 6-1 victory over Bedford United. Ben Walsh leading the way with a hat-trick, Gavin White netting twice and Reece Williams once against a lone United reply via Aaron Perrett. Whilst fifth place Elstow Abbey Reserves returned to winning ways with a 6-3 victory at Caldecote Reserves. Myles Ferraro with a brace being joined on the scoresheet by Andy Klein, Shaun Cafferty, Jason Fleeting and Curtis McGall against home replies via Tom Dupey, Nicky Albone and Simon Ashton.

There was also a return to winning ways for second from the bottom of the table Marston Shelton Rovers Reserves who with their home ground unplayable switched their game to Renhold and duly run out 6-1 winners over Renhold United Reserves. Carl Borromeo with a brace being supported by single strikes from Mark Champkin, Dale Makiw, Andrew Elms and Gary Russon against a lone United reply via Michael France.

The final game in this section seeing Moggerhanger United and Wootton Village share the spoils from a 1-1 draw. George Tyler on the United scoresheet with the Village reply coming from Jacob Bassett for his first ever goal in Village colours.

Division Three

With the Westoning U20 v Atletico Euopa game called off due to the state of the Greenfield Road pitch the only movement at the top end of the table saw climbs for both Ickwell & Old Warden Reserves and Flitwick Town Reserves. Ickwell jumping from sixth to fourth following their 3-2 home local derby win over Mid Beds Tigers. Ashley Drummond netting twice and Ryan White once against a brace in reply from Tigers Jay Smith. Whilst the Town jumped from eighth to sixth with a 5-2 win at Caldecote U20. Oliver Banfield netting twice alongside single strikes from Benn Ward, Dean Conway and Mark Bartlett against home replies via Paul Rannow and Liam Thompson.

Both sides jumping above the now seventh place Dinamo Flitwick who were beaten 4-3 at home by Sandy Reserves. Andy Barker with a brace plus Uqur Demir and Adam Vass on the visitors scoresheet against home replies via Dale Goldie twice and Armando Gomez.

Watson Shield Round One

The biggest win of the day belonged to Cranfield United Reserves who ran out 10-1 home winners over White Eagles. Phil Kempshall netting four times, Adam Kerr twice to go with single goals from Daniel Mclaren, Ryan Collis, Jordan Conway and a Phil Distin penalty against a lone Eagles reply from Marcin Ptak whose cause was not helped by having their goalkeeper sent off after just 60 seconds play.

For Clifton it was a 3-2 extra time win at FC Serbia after 90 minutes had seen the sides all square at 2-2. Dejan Jeremic and Stefan Malijkovic on the home scoresheet against replies from a Tony Norman penalty and Callum McCoy before Chris Mattingley popped in the extra time winner.

Also winning 3-2 in extra time were Shefford Town & Campton A in a home win over Bedfordshire Youth Saturday League side Toddington Rovers U17, Town looking to be in full command with two first half strikes from Sam Larsen before the Rovers Sam King struck twice in the closing seven minutes to take the game into extra time. That time was within a minute of being complete when Rob Holmes headed in the Town winner to deny the Rovers of a deserved spot kick shoot-out.

The fourth scheduled tie, the all Bedfordshire Youth Saturday League clash between Leighton United U17 and Leighton Town U17 postponed due to a frozen pitch.

Preview for Saturday 20th December 2014

This weekend brings about the last Bedfordshire County Football League action of 2014 and of the programme of eight games in the Premier Division supported by Sportsform Division 50% of the games are a reverse of the fixtures played last weekend if we accept AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College are now entertaining AFC Oakley M&DH in league action at Hillgrounds looking for their first home win of the season rather than being in Beds FA Senior Trophy action against them where last weekend they suffered a penalty shoot-out loss, the visitors sitting in third place in the league table making the short journey looking to extend their unbeaten league ways up to six games.

Of those meeting for the second time inside seven days, league leaders Shefford Town & Campton having lost their seasons unbeaten ways last weekend will look for revenge when they go into their home Hitchin Road encounter with the visiting Eastcotts AFC who thus far have only won one of their six away league outings to date .

Whilst at Jubilee Playing Fields, hosts Wilstead with just one home win to their name this season receive a visit from sixth place Wootton Blue Cross who are now unbeaten in their last five outings.

The final pair meeting for the second time sees second from the bottom of the table Lidlington United Sports with just one home win to their name this season receive a visit from seventh place Sharnbrook who will be looking to end a two game losing away run and a quick double win over the Sportsmen.

The pick of the other four fixtures perhaps comes at Marston Playing Fields where fourth place hosts Marston Shelton Rovers take on second place Renhold United who will hit the road looking to preserve their seasons 100% league away record. Also perhaps glad to be hitting the road will be third from bottom of the table AFC Turvey whose eight trips away from their Thurleigh base have brought about just one defeat.They travel to the Green to be hosted by bottom of the table Ickwell & Old Warden who will be looking for just their second home win of the season to end a run of three consecutive league defeats.

Meantime over at Harvey Close, Caldecote play hosts to Pavenham who thus far have won just the once on the road this season and at Bedford Road Recreation Ground, Sandy who are yet to win on home soil this season but nevertheless currently unbeaten in their last four starts play hosts to fifth place Flitwick Town who will be in search of their fourth away win on the bounce to extend their current unbeaten ways up to seven games.

The Division One supported by Wests Citroen Bedford action brings about a similar scenario to that in the top division with five of the seven games being a reverse of last weekends fixtures. The two exception being at Gold Street, the venue at which league leaders Henlow head for to face the hosting eighth place Riseley Sports who will be in search of home win number three on the bounce and at Mill Lane where seventh place hosts Potton Town receive a visit from third place Cranfield United who will be looking for their fifth league win on the bounce.

Of the five pairings meeting again inside seven days second place Elstow Abbey winners of seven out of their eight away league outings this season will be en route to Stockwood Park Athletic Stadium to face the hosting sixth place Sundon Park Rangers and fourth place Great Barford now on an eight game winning run make tracks for King George VI Playing Fields to face eleventh place AFC Oakley M&DH Reserves who have just one home league win to their name this season.

Over at Hillgrounds, ninth place AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College Reserves will seek out their first home league win of the season against the visiting second from bottom of the table AFC Harlington who will hit the road in search of their first away point/points of the season. Whilst in Allen Park, Queens Park Crescents play hosts to the visiting Marabese Ceramics who have from their six away league outings to date this season won just the once.

The final action coming at Rectory Road, the venue at which Shefford Town & Campton Reserves beaten in their last two home starts play hosts to fifth place Meltis Albion whose seasons away league record to date shows they have won just the once.

Action likewise in Division Two sees five of the seven scheduled fixtures being reverse games from last weekend. The two exceptions coming at Miller Road where ninth place hosts Meltis Albion Reserves now on a two game losing home run receive a visit from third place FC Houghton who are currently on a 10 game winning league run and at Cutler Hammer where eighth place hosts Kempston Athletic will be firm favourites to collect all three points when called upon by bottom of the table Wilstead Reserves who are still looking for their first win of the season.

Of those meeting again, league leaders Westoning will be in home action at Greenfield Road where they have lost just the once all season against seventh place Kempston Hammers Sports whose away league record this season shows just one victory from seven outings. Whilst fourth place Stevington having lost just the once on the road this season and currently on an eight game winning run make tracks for the Hockey Centre for a meeting against Bedford United.

Elsewhere over at the Warren hosts Elstow Abbey Reserves having failed to win any of their last three home league outings will be expected to return to winning home ways when called upon by third from bottom of the table Caldecote Reserves now losers on their last seven trips away from Harvey Close and also expecting to return to winning ways on home soil will be Renhold United Reserves when at their Playing Field headquarters they are called upon by second from bottom of the table Marston Shelton Rovers Reserves whose away record this season currently reads played six, lost six. But wait a minute, was not their clash switched to Renhold last weekend with a 6-1 win for the Rovers.

The final game coming at Wootton Recreation Ground, the venue at which sixth place Wootton Village play hosts to tenth place Moggerhanger United.

In Division Three its a programme of six games where 50% of the teams meet again inside a week. At the Bedford Academy, second place Atletico Europa now on a five game unbeaten run play hosts to third from bottom of the table Westoning U20. Whilst at the Sandy Academy, its a rematch local derby between bottom of the table hosts Mid Beds Tigers and the visiting fourth place Ickwell & Old Warden Reserves.The home side looking for their first home win of the season against their local rivals who thus far have been beaten just the once on the road this season.

Meantime at the Flitwick Community Football Centre, sixth place Flitwick Town Reserves will be expected to maintain their seasons unbeaten home ways when called upon by second from bottom of the table Caldecote U20 who will not only be looking for their first away win of the season but also to end their current six game losing run.

Elsewhere other action comes at Pirton Recreation Ground, the venue at which the hosting league leaders Lea Sports PSG now on a six game winning run are visited by tenth place near neighbours Shefford Town & Campton A who have failed to win any of their last four league outings and at Whiston Crescent, third place Clifton receive a visit from eleventh place Sandy Reserves.

The final action coming at Crawley Road, the venue at which the still unbeaten at home this season Cranfield United Reserves who sit in fifth place in the league table play hosts to the visiting seventh place Dinamo Flitwick.